CONMEN using a trick labelled the Lebanese Loop by detectives have been in action nearly 20 times across Suffolk - and police are urging people to be on their guard.

CONMEN using a trick labelled the Lebanese Loop by detectives have been in action nearly 20 times across Suffolk - and police are urging people to be on their guard.

The latest incident happened at the NatWest ATM machine in Newmarket High Street when a man from Northampton lost hundreds of pounds to the fraudsters.

A police spokesman said the couple involved in the scam use a plastic sleeve with a black strip to block cards in the machine. They then come forward with seemingly helpful advice for their victim.

He said the woman of the pair urges the victim to punch in his number again and while this is being done she watches and carefully records the digits in her mobile phone.

When the victim leaves to report what happened the tricksters remove the plastic sleeve and punch in the number themselves. The spokesman said the latest incident - on Wednesday - netted the thieves hundreds of pounds.

He said gang, which has now struck eight times in Newmarket and 17 times across Suffolk, usually operates after bank closing time. Anyone with information about what happened on Wednesday should contact police on 01284 774100.